New school resource officer named at N-W

Fri, Aug 18th 2017 05:00 pm

By Terry Duffy

Editor-in-Chief

The Town of Lewiston announced Monday that it has reached a new four-year agreement with the Niagara-Wheatfield School District for a school resource officer to be staffed by the Lewiston Police Department.

"The intent of the agreement is that the Niagara-Wheatfield School District (will) pay for all costs associated with the employment of that police officer," said Attorney for the Town Ryan Parisi.

LPD has been staffing the Niagara-Wheatfield SRO position for the past school year. The new position would start Sept. 1 and involve a current LPD part-time officer moving up to the new position.

The Town Board went on to approve two measures - one that authorizes the agreement with Niagara-Wheatfield to fund the position, the other with the Lewiston Police Department union to approve terms of the agreement with N-W and the additional hours involved as an SRO.

"We're looking to move a part-timer to that position," LPD Chief Frank Previte advised the board.

Previte announced current LPD part-time officer Rob Rougeux would be assigned as the new full-time N-W SRO.

Parisi stressed the agreement calls for the Niagara-Wheatfield district to cover all costs involved with the hire, with no cost to be absorbed whatsoever by the Town of Lewiston over the next four years.

"There's language in the agreement clearly setting forth the intent of the agreement that the Niagara-Wheatfield School District will be paying all costs associated with the position," Parisi said.

He added the agreement contains provisions that allow the town to terminate the contract should this change.

All measures went on to be unanimously approved by the Town Board.

"The department has been working closely with the school and Town Board to finalize this agreement in time for the school year," Previte said. "We believe that this position will be a great benefit for the school staff, students and community as a whole. The safety, security and well being of our children is of the utmost importance to us as a department, and we are excited and look forward to this opportunity.